During the past decade, the outsourcing of marketing operations has become a common practice in American college athletics. While the reasons that an intercollegiate athletics program might choose to outsource its marketing operations are numerous, the decision to do so really depends on various circumstances. This study was designed to reveal both the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and the circumstantial factors affecting athletic administrators's outsourcing decisions. Also, three real cases were presented and examined to substantiate motives as well as the importance of reviewing circumstantial factors before an outsourcing decision is made.